Since the beginning of the pandemic, 78 million people have contracted HIV and 35 million have died of AIDS-related causes.

As of December 2015, 17 million people living with HIV (46% of the total) had access to antiretroviral therapy.

The Regional Picture

East and southern Africa
In 2015, there were 19 million people—more than half of whom were women—living with HIV in eastern and southern Africa, and an estimated 960,000 people became newly infected. In 2015, 470,000 people died of AIDS-related causes. Eastern and southern Africa accounts for 46% of the global total of new HIV infections.

Western and central Africa
In 2015, there were 6.5 million people—nearly 60% of whom were women—living with HIV in western and central Africa, and an estimated 410,000 people became newly infected. In 2015, 330,000 people died of AIDS-related causes.

Asia and the Pacific
In Asia and the Pacific, an estimated 300,000 people became newly infected in 2015, bringing the total number of people living with HIV there to 5.1 million. AIDS claimed an estimated 180,000 lives in the region in 2015.

Latin America and the Caribbean
There were an estimated 100,000 new HIV infections and 50,000 AIDS-related deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2015. This region currently has 2 million people living with HIV.

North Africa and the Middle East
Approximately 230,000 people are living with HIV in this region and an estimated 21,000 people became newly infected in 2015. An estimated 12,000 adults and children died of AIDS in 2015.

Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Some 190,000 people were newly infected with HIV in 2015, bringing the number of people living with HIV to 1.5 million. AIDS claimed 47,000 lives in 2015.

Western and Central Europe and North America
In 2015, there were an estimated 91,000 new cases of HIV, bringing the number of people living with HIV in Western and Central Europe and North American to 2.4 million. In these regions, 22,000 people died of AIDS in 2015.